Me, Myself and Memories

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  Noreen 2:08 am on July 11, 2016 Permalink  

  The Progression of Days 

  Each morning in our home, we do have anywhere from a half hour to an hour of the newscasts going on the television.  I am seriously thinking this is way too much.  I can’t comprehend what is happening in our America right now.  I don’t want to analyze it, delve deeper into any one topic or try to change it.  I know that is considered to be complacent . . . so be it. When Dennis and I reminisce, he and I have seen more changes in our lifetimes than can be believable.  For me, I am comfortable passing the torch to those who are in power, seeking power, to those who know what is needed for positive action or those that think they know it all.  This senior citizen is busy taking care of what Dennis and I have on Stauffer Avenue.  It may be a selfish attitude, but it is mine.

  I have such a good life with minimum bells and whistles.  720 square feet in a home is just right for Dennis and me.  We don’t have square footage that is for looking at and not be used.  It makes maintenance and cleaning so much more logical.  I am enthralled at the “tiny home” movement.  Homes from 120 to 320 square feet of well organized construction is sweeping across the nation.  They are not mobile homes, aka: trailer houses.  These homes are for those who have chosen not to have their homes own them.  Less is more.

  I digress.  It is not unusual for me to wake up in the mornings and have to calculate as to what day of the week it is.  I am no slouch when it comes to having full days, I just don’t have my days planned for me.  I used to live in that world.  All things considered, I am in like with the fact that I have retired and and can do all the things I have always done . . . just a bit more methodically.  I honor all my artificial joints that serve me with little or no pain and they will last for a great quality of life.

  I sat down at my laptop this afternoon as I needed to take a break from a sewing studio project.  I have come so far with a good measure of success.  I feared that if I didn’t do quite a bit of mind calculating of the next step, I could be cutting where I shouldn’t.  That, right there, is what I am referring to.  I don’t rush about during my days.  I know what I want to achieve and I am willing to invest all the time it takes.  I don’t like “do-overs.”  If it takes another day, another week . . . so be it. Most days it is quality and not quantity for me. I said most days.  Every once in awhile, I need to put my big girl panties on and realize I did the best I could, so get over it.

  This time was well spent and I am now ready to head back into the sewing studio and continue.  I feel confident that all will turn out just as I had intended it.

   
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  Noreen 5:53 am on July 10, 2016 Permalink  

  I Remember When 

  

  I was in the Family Dollar Store today and when I walked passed their freezer unit, I couldn’t resist. I remember when this treats were called “Push Ups.” The same great orange sherbet taste. I know that when we enjoyed them in the 50s and 60s there were no warnings of Fructose on the label. At that time there may have been calories far in excess of the 90 posted on this box . . .  who knew what a calorie was?

   
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  Noreen 2:38 am on July 9, 2016 Permalink  

  There is no such look on anyone’s face as when the ignition switch of a vehicle is turned and there is . . . nothing. My ole cowboy could not believe it. After charging the battery up enough to start it, a trip to the parts store was in line.

  Oh my gosh! His 2005 little red pickup had the original battery in it. Just when we thought there was noting that was as good as it was in “the good old days.”

  When all was said and done, Dennis had a one dollar bill left out of $120.00. He did put in the same quality of battery that had been in the truck. Going on the side of cheap was not in the cards today for Dennis.

  This type of experience allows one to still believe in quality.

   
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  Noreen 6:59 am on July 8, 2016 Permalink  

  Today was a day to just be here on Stauffer Avenue and be content and peaceful.

   
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  Noreen 2:05 am on July 7, 2016 Permalink  

  Today comes with two sided emotions. Dennis and his son are headed to the airport so Ken can fly back to Arizona after an extended stay here in Minnesota visiting family and friends. It will be some time before he comes back. That would be the sad portion of this tale. The happy portion of this post is that Dennis will have his little red pickup back after a three week separation. For Ken to have rented a car for this time would have most likely broke the bank, aka: his bank.

  I am working on a fairly large project with my embroidery machine. Yesterday, I learned how to go into my computer and re-size an image to alter it from the original that I had downloaded onto a USB stick. Live and learn and hopefully do it often enough that it will become second nature. Try, try and try until I get it lodged into my gray matter.

  This project will keep me busy until I know Dennis is home safe and sound.

   
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  Noreen 5:01 am on July 6, 2016 Permalink  

  Wise Choices 

  The days leading up to the 4th of July were fairly mild.  Temps in the mid seventies and dew points in the 40s.  What better time to put our backs into it and do the worst first.  Worst meaning “one cup of coffee” will suffice.  Dennis and I are pretty independent.  It takes a whole lot for us to cry “Uncle.”  It may take us a bit longer than normal and we are not afraid of voicing our differences in an octave above normal . . . we stay at it until the job is done or at lease one or the other of us has wore the other down as to how the job should get started so it can get done.

  

  We will be spending many happy miles in our rockers.

  Right now we feel that our porch is just the best thing since sliced bread.  It smells new, it feels new and we are avoiding the guilty stares from out cats as all of the soft cushions from the chairs have been burned.  There are baskets up in the rafters of both the car and the pickup stalls that they all frequent, there are two baskets within the porch proper, and two little tufts on two chairs that humans would not be comfortable in.  So be it!

  

  Everybody gets a tricked out place on Stauffer Avenue.

  Yesterday the construction crew of Stauffer Avenue tackled the multi-story birdhouse that was in need of repair.  Our planning paid off and Dennis had the minimal amount of time needed to be on the ladder.  Several days before we tried out our “9001 Glue” for effectiveness.  We were pleased in its strength and the fact it is stated to be waterproof.  We Glued the birdhouse onto the green treat plywood.  After drying for 24 hours we put screws through the bottom of the plywood into the base of the birdhouse.  Yesterday we put glue onto the base of the green treated post that was very stable in the garden.  A piece of Black Walnut was then screwed onto the post.  After a good dry time, Dennis slathered glue onto the Black Walnut before we set the unit with the birdhouse onto it and applying the screws for a tight bond.

  Wearing ourselves out,  we sat in our tricked out porch.  We both nodded our heads, the birdhouse never had looked better.  It didn’t take long a wren warbled an agreement.

  Today the heat and humidity has hit hard and we are very thankful for the wise choices we made.  The to-d0 list looks very short.  Life on Stauffer couldn’t get any sweeter.

   
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  Noreen 4:47 am on July 5, 2016 Permalink  

  A Great 4th of July 

  

  All is well on Stauffer Avenue on this 4th of July, 2016. Our wish is that peace and safety is enjoyed by all.

   
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  Noreen 2:52 am on July 4, 2016 Permalink  

  Fix-It Time 

  

  The baby Robins are gone and so is the birdhouse . . . for now. Over time the plywood has gotten worse than it shows in this photo, and it was listing off of the post to the north in a bad way. Dennis and I are on the project taking each step slowly.  Dennis found a great piece of Black Walnut to put on the post.  The bird house will be sitting on new green treated plywood.  As I said, it is all going at a slow and steady pace.

   
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  Noreen 3:35 am on July 3, 2016 Permalink  

  Majestic Hardly Covers It 

  

  Oh, so tall.

  Taking advantage of a mild day with low humidity, I managed to transplant several perennials, closing down one of the far east flower gardens. The Autumn Maple Shrub and the Tiger’s Eye Sumac can now enjoy full occupancy. A bit of Round Up will take care of the Plumb Grass that was getting a bit full of itself. Using Round Up keeps it back from the Hostas, and on the opposite side, Dennis controls it with his lawnmower.  I like it as a back drop to the Hostas in the east garden as it does get to be about five feet tall. In the fall the feathery heads wave in the breezes making it well worth waiting for. The birds love picking at the seeds within the heads.  In times past, I cut some of the feathery heads and used it for a fall arrangement in the house.  I took a break on the bench outside our back door.  It was mild out, but working up a sweat is a good thing.  I took time to take a good look at the Black Walnut tree right across Stauffer Avenue on neighbor Bob’s yard. It is huge, it is old, and it is more than majestic. The hip roofed garage of Bob’s that can be seen in the base of this photo is about 20′ from the base of this tree. Such treasures as this tree can’t be taken for granted.

   
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  Noreen 4:28 am on July 2, 2016 Permalink  

  It is Finished! 

  

  Our wonderful garage porch is totally put back together after drowning out, getting a heightened floor, new carpeting and having to hang out in the little red pickups garage for what seemed like a long time.  After today all our favorite things are back in place. When snuggles came home from his month long sabbatical there was just a concrete floor in the porch to greet him. Today Dennis and I got all the goodies back in place and right after we had the kitty baskets down, Snuggles decided to rest in his favorite one for the majority of the day. That’s okay, Snuggles, we are all happy to have the project finished.